The latest corruption news from Iraq – company or government bribes, theft, stealing – brought to you by Iraq Business News
Associated Press reports that two former officers of an American defense contracting firm have pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to rebuilding projects in Iraq. Federal prosecutors say that Neal Kasper (66) and his wife, Tiffany White (49), were involved in a scheme to solicit and accept kickbacks in return for favourable treatment in awarding […]
By John Lee. French oil company Total and Swiss oil-trading company Vitol have been fined for corruption by a French court in relation to Iraq’s oil-for-food program. According to Bloomberg, Total was guilty of corrupting foreign civil servants, and has been fined EUR 750,000, while Vitol has been fined EUR 300,000. Other corruption charges against Total […]
By Ahmed Mousa Jiyad. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Ministry of Oil Concludes Shaky Deal for Missan Refinery with Satarem The Ministry of Oil has decided to go ahead with the Missan Refinery deal with the legally bankrupt small Swiss […]
By John Lee. Iraq’s Commission of Integrity has referrd four former senior officials to court on charges of corruption. Middle East Monitor reports the the Commission referred two former deputies of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the former director of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s military office, and Baghdad’s former mayor. Bahaa al-Araji, Saleh al-Mutlaq, Farouk […]
By John Lee. High-ranking officials from Iran and Iraq are to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve cooperation in fighting financial corruption. The Head of the General Inspection Office of Iran, Nasser Seraj, hosted a visit from Hasan Al-Yasiri, the head of Iraq's Commission of Integrity, at which various aspects of the anti-corruption […]
By John Lee. Transparency International has said that Iraq has risen slightly in its global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). From at total of 167 countries, Iraq came in at number 161, slightly better than last year’s position of 170 out of 175 countries, and tying with Libya. This result puts it ahead of countries such […]
By John Lee. A former U.S. Department of Defense contracting official has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a bribery scheme involving U.S. government contracts in Iraq. James Edward Addas, 55, of Stafford, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to charges of bribery and tax evasion. According to admissions made in the […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has sacked the Minister for Trade, Mlas Mohammed Al-Kasanzan [Abdulkarim Malas al-Kasnazani] (pictured), for failing to show up for work. A statement from the Prime Minister's office said al-Kasnazani was dismissed because of his "absence ... from his duties as Minister of Commerce [i.e. Trade] for more than […]
By Simon Kent. Nine senior officials at Iraq's Grain Board have been relieved of their jobs, although no details of the dismissals have been reported. The Grain Board has a critical responsibility for procuring grain imports, strategically vital for feeding a country with a growing population and an agricultural sector threatened by acute drought. The […]
By John Lee. Iraq's acting trade minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has reportedly sacked the head of the powerful Grain Board of Iraq and six other officials over allegations of corruption. Reuters quotes ministry sources as saying that the move was part of a comprehensive operation intended to "cleanse the ministry of officials who have any hint […]
By John Lee. A Baghdad court has sentenced former environment minister Sargon Lazar Slewa [Sargon Lazon Sliwah, Karkis Sleiwa] (pictured) to two years in prison on charges of corruption. A judicial spokesman told Reuters that Slewa, a Assyrian Christian who served in former premier Nuri al-Maliki's government, was taken into custody following the ruling and fined […]
By John Lee. According to a report from Shafaaq, an Iraqi Trade Ministry media adviser, who was killed last month by a bomb attached to his car, had been about to hand over files accusing the ministry of corruption to the country's Integrity Commission. The Central Investigating Court said in a statement that four security […]
